Day 30

Hello All! So I'm on day 30 of Accutane. Should be on day 32 but I forgot take a couple of pills while we were on vacation. Speaking of vacation..... I learned my lesson about being in the sun while on this medication!! We went to the Gulf Coast and wow did I get burnt. Spent Sunday on the beach, applied and reapplied sunblock several times throughout the day and still got burnt. Woke up Monday with a burn and woke up Tuesday with blisters covering my upper back and shoulders. Luckily, I bought really great Neutrogena facial sunblock so nothing happened to my face!!

Other than that horrible burn, things have been going wonderfully. Side effects would be dry lips still. Have been able to maintain with the Blistex Moisture Melt, it's still working wonders! I was able to get rid of the dandruff/dry scalp by using Head and Shoulders, and I also leave my conditioner on for about 5 minutes before I rinse it off. I also did a couple of deep conditioning treatments I purchased and a local beauty supply store. I also use this product called Ice, it has aloe and vitamin e, it works really well at keeping my hair moisturized, no so dry. I have been following docs orders and moisturizing my whole body at least once a day, if not twice. Oh, and I also bought Aveeno's oatmeal bath stuff. Just trying to stay proactive to avoid super dry skin.

I had my dermatology appointment last week and the doctor was very impressed at the progress I have made already. My face is clearing up nicely! I posted some pictures. They aren't very clear, the lighting was pretty bad. But I can tell you I only have like 3 new pimples, a couple scratches on my nose (?) and quite a bit of scarring on my cheeks. I'm happy with the results so far! I have been bumped up on dosage from 40mg to 60mg. She offered to bump up to 80mg but I requested 60 instead. I don't want to do too much too fast.

Oh, I forgot. One other side effect I have been experiencing is joint pain. Mostly in my hips and low back. Also, more than usual pain in my neck. I just recently started back at the gym so I'm hoping that will help. I also started taking my fish oil 3 times a day rather than just once a day, hoping that will help the joints as well.

Well, that's all for now. Will update in 30 days unless something changes significantly.

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I am so sorry that the sun burns you. I have never been sunburned on my body, I just get really brown. Once two years ago my face got sunburned I think. There were no blisters but my face was really red and I use tretinoin so being in the sun without protection is a no no. Now I use Cetaphil Oil Control SPF 30 on my face when I go out which is basically everyday. I bike 11 miles each day on these really nice bike trails near my home. I live two blocks from a beautiful lake. I ride halfway around the lake and there I connect with another bike trail, then I ride in the street for two blocks and catch up with the Midtown Greenway bike trail. It is awesome. There are two lanes of traffic. There is a bike coop with an organic food type lefty's cafe (I am way liberal and Green Party sided, although I occasionally vote democrat like for Obama, just for the historical significance of having the first African-American president.) I ride 2.5 miles to the cafe, get a few treats, down a couple sugar free Red Bulls, use the all important restroom. And then back on the trail for another 3.5 miles to the Mississippi River. Then I turn back. The whole ride is 11 miles round trip, which isn't really a lot since some of the women I talked to were riding 40-50 miles total. I am slowly gonna try to extend my ride or take two trips in one day. An A.M. ride and a P.M. ride. I am excercising for health and well-being benefits. I need to lose weight, keep my skin clear and find a new job. I used to be a practicing attorney until I was assaulted by a co-worker who made threats against me. The whole mess caused me to close my solo law practice. I did mainly bankruptcies and civil rights/prisoner litigation/police brutality. I stopped practicing in 2010. I plan to practice again in 2022. Don't ask me why. Anywho, my skin is calm and serene. I just worry about how hard I sweat on my face while I am cycling. I am sure the SPF is getting rinsed off by sweat pouring down my brows. Oh well. When I get home I take my antibiotic/shower/ wash my face with Cetaphil antibacterial bar soap and pat my face dry. Then I apply a very thin film of benzaclin; known generically as CLINDAMYCIN-BENZOYL PEROXIDE. I then wait 3-4 hours so it can work its magic. Then I wash my face again and apply The Body Shop's teatree oil blemish control toner.

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